Manchester City overtake Liverpool as bookies' favourites for Premier League title

The column incurred a small midweek loss despite correctly tipping West Ham's draw with Liverpool. Manchester City are now 8/11 with bet365 to win the Premier League and they face another big test on Sunday when Chelsea visit the Etihad.

Running total: -£71.11

The Banker

Each of the last 15 Premier League teams who were top on Feb. 1 went on the win the league. Despite this statistic, Manchester City are now odds on again for the title and are fancied to beat Chelsea on Sunday. The Citizens -- who have scored 43 goals in just 13 home games in the league this season -- look to be playing with more purpose and intensity again and we fancy them to fly out of the traps against Maurizio Sarri's men. Gonzalo Higuain is off the mark following his move from Italy but he won't find City's defenders as accommodating as Huddersfield's last weekend. Odds of 5/4 for Pep Guardiola's men being ahead at half-time and full-time looks too big to ignore.

The First Goal Flutter

Christian Eriksen could be worth following at 6/1 to open the scoring for Tottenham against Leicester. The Foxes have done well against the "Big Six" this season, beating Manchester City and Chelsea and more recently holding Liverpool to a 1-1 draw at Anfield. However Spurs can keep their faint title hopes alive here and, in the absence of Harry Kane, will look to the mercurial Eriksen for guidance. The Dane has already scored first three times in the league at Wembley this season so 6/1 looks worth a go.

The Tasty Treble

Guardiola's claim that Manchester United are still title contenders might be a tad far-fetched, but nailing down a Champions League place for next season is now well within their grasp and they can edge closer to a top-four finish by taking maximum points against Fulham. The Red Devils are 4/7 and should be the cornerstone of any self-respecting accumulator this weekend. Add in Arsenal (8/13) to get back to winning ways against rock-bottom Huddersfield Town while Watford look an interesting price to beat Everton at 13/10. Marco Silva was sacked as Watford boss and the catalyst for his collapse at Vicarage Road was making noises about his desire to replace the sacked Ronald Koeman at Goodison Park just eight games into his Hornets tenure. Watford have also had a full week to prepare for this so should be primed. The treble pays better than 9/2 with bet365 and looks solid.

The Euro Wager

Marseille have only shipped nine goals at home in Ligue 1 this season and should have too much when they head to lowly Dijon on Friday evening. L'OM ran out 2-0 winners when the teams met earlier this season and so look a big price at 3/1 to win without conceding.

The Wildcard Tip

Liverpool have now dropped seven points in their last five matches and put simply, anything other than a resounding win over Bournemouth this weekend would be a disaster. The good news for beleaguered Kopites is that Liverpool have won their last three against the Cherries, scoring 11 goals during that sequence and conceding none. A 3-0 win at Anfield, which would go a long way to relieving some of the pressure on Jurgen Klopp's men, is a 7/1 chance with bet365 and worth a nibble under the circumstances.